Piano Smithfield

Irrepressible pianist and late-night London personality institution Bazz Norton has opened the second outing of his legendary high Street Kensington bolthole, this time in the middle of the City. Piano Smithfield is again a cocktail bar with live music performed by top name piano acts playing on until the early hours of the next morning from Wednesday to Saturday, and jazz trio sets taking over Tuesday night. With over three decades playing the best jazz clubs in the world - including a seven year stint at the Savoy American Bar - Bazz is a highly regarded musician himself and established his trio around the same time he opened the first bar. His main reason for doing so was that there were no good piano bars in London that pianists wanted to go and drink in after work, so he opened one himself. If you’re in luck you might catch him and his band playing on the night you stop by, or even get to hear Bazz’s wife Moya crooning out soul and jazz numbers while he accompanies her on the ivories.

This Piano is housed in what used to be the ‘Rouge’ lounge club, with red remaining the colour-theme and welcoming feel for its current reincarnation. This is live entertainment at its down-played but overstated best, and the surroundings certainly don’t let down the general ambience either: black and white photos, a majestic grand piano taking centre-stage, champagne, classic or creative but always expertly mixed cocktails round off an evening of exclusive-feeling, inclusively-spirited fun.

The bar doesn’t have a kitchen as such, so food options are limited to thin or deep pan pizzas that can be ordered and delivered from a local pizzeria. It’s advisable to book a table in advance as the place gets packed up quickly and relatively early - particularly on weekend nights and special jazz Sunday sessions.

Irrepressible pianist and late-night London personality institution Bazz Norton has opened the second outing of his legendary high Street Kensington bolthole, this time in the middle of the City. Piano Smithfield is again a cocktail bar with live music performed by top name piano acts playing on until the early hours of the next morning from Wednesday to Saturday, and jazz trio sets taking over Tuesday night. With over three decades playing the best jazz clubs in the world - including a seven year stint at the Savoy American Bar - Bazz is a highly regarded musician himself and established his trio around the same time he opened the first bar. His main reason for doing so was that there were no good piano bars in London that pianists wanted to go and drink in after work, so he opened one himself. If you’re in luck you might catch him and his band playing on the night you stop by, or even get to hear Bazz’s wife Moya crooning out soul and jazz numbers while he accompanies her on the ivories.

This Piano is housed in what used to be the ‘Rouge’ lounge club, with red remaining the colour-theme and welcoming feel for its current reincarnation. This is live entertainment at its down-played but overstated best, and the surroundings certainly don’t let down the general ambience either: black and white photos, a majestic grand piano taking centre-stage, champagne, classic or creative but always expertly mixed cocktails round off an evening of exclusive-feeling, inclusively-spirited fun.

The bar doesn’t have a kitchen as such, so food options are limited to thin or deep pan pizzas that can be ordered and delivered from a local pizzeria. It’s advisable to book a table in advance as the place gets packed up quickly and relatively early - particularly on weekend nights and special jazz Sunday sessions.